HARRISBURG, Pa. (June 21, 2023) — Pennsylvania Bar Association President Michael J. McDonald has named 12 Pennsylvania lawyers to the 2023-24 class of the association’s Bar Leadership Institute (BLI).
“The young lawyers selected for the BLI are the future leaders of the PBA and the legal profession,” said McDonald. “This is yet another important way the PBA makes good lawyers better, better able to serve our profession, our communities and the administration of justice. This experience offers them the opportunity to be paired with PBA Board of Governors mentors who guide them through an in-depth look at the association’s operations. I am honored to work with them throughout the next year and watch them grow as professionals, make valuable connections and gain the confidence to serve as mentors for the next generation of lawyers.”
The new BLI class members include:
Adams County
Kathryn M. Dales, MidPenn Legal Services, Gettysburg
Beaver County
Kristine Grega, Beaver County Children and Youth Services, Beaver
Chester County
Matthew M. McKeon, MacElree Harvey Ltd., Chester
Columbia County
Jessica M. Lehman, Hill Turowski James & Lehman LLP, Bloomsburg
Dauphin County
Mark Kovalcin, Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority, Harrisburg
Erie County
Boutros Imad, Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett PC, Erie
Lancaster County
Lance D. Greene, Saxton & Stump, Lancaster
Lehigh County
Kristin N. Hutchins, Noonan Law Office, Allentown
Luzerne County
Joseph F. Saporito III; Saporito, Falcone & Watt; Pittston
Montgomery County
Kathryn M. Brady; Kane, Pugh, Knoell, Troy & Kramer LLP; Blue Bell
Franqui-Ann J. Raffaele; Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin PC; Lansdale
Philadelphia County
Jessica E. Rodriguez, City of Philadelphia Law Department, Philadelphia
This year’s BLI co-chairs are PBA Vice President Kristen B. Hamilton, Law Office of Eric J. Weisbrod PC, Chambersburg; PBA past House of Delegates Chair Jonathan D. Koltash, Governor’s Office of General Counsel, Harrisburg; and past PBA Secretary Beverly H. Rampaul, Governor’s Office of General Counsel, Harrisburg.
To apply for the BLI, candidates had to demonstrate leadership ability, commit to attendance and participation in the required events, be currently licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania, be a PBA member, and be age 40 years or younger or have practiced five years or less.
The BLI was originally developed by Arthur L. Piccone of Kingston in 1995-96 during his year as PBA president to strengthen the PBA’s ongoing efforts to recruit and develop leaders of the association. The first chair of the institute, Gretchen A. Mundorff of Connellsville, re-launched the BLI when she became the 2010-11 president of the PBA. Its current purpose is to inform participants on the day-to-day operations, governance, resources and staffing of the association, as well as provide introductions to its various leadership opportunities.